The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1887-12-14
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HOW JEFF. DAVIS WAS ARRESTED.
A Curious Story that the Mobiles of Annis-
to, are Wont to Tell.

A Curious Story that the Mobiles of Annis-
to, arc Wont to Tell.
ADMISSION, ALA, Nov. 26.-Jefferson
Davis has had o good many narrow o.
capes, but one of them has never been
told in print, and the chief actor in the
affair has eve cared to talk about it.
Somewhere along in the ffties the
Mobiles, an English family residing in
Pennsylvania, decided to move south
ward. They selected Rome, Ga, as
their objective point, and started on
their Journey after making the necessary
disposition of their goods.
The Mobiles had some family Jewels
and about "a, 900 in cash. How to curry
these valuables safely bothered them not
q little, but they packed the money and
Jewels in an old-fashioned English hand
chest and took them along. The travel
ers landed at Charleston and took the
next train for their destination. Some
extra fare was demanded, and in paying
it they had to open the chest and xpose
their treasure. Sharp eyes were on tho
watch, and the glitter of the contents OF
the chest attracted attention.
AS matter of p%recaution the chest
was confided to Miss Mary Noble, who
sat ill a secluded section Of the car with
her back to the door. At Branchvillc,
5. g., two gentlemen boarded the train.
One was q young, wiry man, and the
other was tall and slender, past the
meridian OF life, and of distinguished
appearance,
When Augusta was reached the two
strangers went on to Atlanta, and the
Mobiles discovered that their precious
chest was missing. The conductor was
clamorously appealed to, and he instant
~ gave 1T as his opinion that ''the one.
eyed man had stolen it,"
"Ho's n bad looking fellow" slid the
conductor.
The chest had evidently been snqtched
out at tho rear window of the car. as tho
suspected man took his departure at n
moment when Miss Mobiles attention
was fixed in some other direction.
After a consultation it was decided
that Mrs. Noble and Miss Mary should
proceed to Atlanta and cause the rrest
OF the supposed thief, while MIR. Noble
and the others remained in Augusta
suit.
Mrs. Noble succeeded iii tracing the
two men to their stopping place in At
lanta, n Identified them as soon as she
saw them. AT her request thoy were
arrested and carried to police headGuar-
ters, where the astonishing discovery
was made that the "one-eyed man" was
PRESIDENT Pierce's Secretary of War,
JEFFERSON DAVIS, and his companion was
his private secretary.
MIR. DAVIS was in a good humor, and
OF course the two gentlemen were at once
released with many apologies.
RpfnFa Loo pinn NJ Mi. - |
and her daughter that he regretted
their loss, and he rendered them a TWEEN.
" doilar gold piece as an evidence of his
sympathy. Mrs. Noble declined to nc,
the gift, but Miss Mary spoke up
and said:
Eyes, take it. That is some Of orr
money that the old rascal took"
MIR. Davis smiled and pressed the
money upon Mrs. Noble, VINO finally
took 1t, and carried it to her husband in
After the election Of Mr.. Davis 60 the
Presidency OF the Southern Confedera-
~, MIR. Noble, then a prosperous con.
.,ractor, visited him at MONTGOMERY and
alked with him about manufacturing
Mr.. Davis asked him several questions
md then referred to the loss Of the
'hcst. He introduced Mr.. Noble to Mrs.
Davis and told the story of the arrest.
dIs. Davis laughed heartily over the in.
ident, and with her husband took quite
n interest in the Mobiles from that time.
Noble went to work and made hun
lreds of came for the Confederacy.
later he founded and built up the
furnishing city of Admission, Alabama.
Il the midst of his prosperity he is still
to the ''one-eyed man" who was
nee supposed to be the author of his
misfortune.
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